Modern Music
Brad Mehldau, Kevin
Hays & Patrick Zimmerli
Nonesuch Records.
Having purchased my
share of lame ducks this year, I’ve learned that few solo piano albums grow to
become universally heralded. Whether it’s the minimalist nature of the project
or a matter of listener preferences, I can’t say, but only a handful of records
have ever risen from the pack. So it’s fitting that my first year of jazz ends
with a meeting of two jazz-pianists; Modern Music pits former classmates Brad
Mehldau and Kevin Hays into both new and classic compositions – some classical,
some jazz.
Quelling any fears
that this project too will evaporate into monotonous background music is first
track ‘Crazy Quilt’, a rambunctious hint toward the duo’s heedless energy. Composer
Patrick Zimmerli oversees subsequent performances that cover Philip Glass, Ornette
Coleman and Steve Reich with equal doses of drama and flair. A late addition to
this list, Modern Music bridges my burgeoning interest in two like-minded
genres.
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